


Nursey Week

by Literally_No_One_Cares



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Birthday Presents, Canon Typical Swearing, Canon typical alcohol use, Depression, Gen, M/M, Makeup, Mental Health Issues, Misunderstandings, Nonbinary!Nursey (again just implied), Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Scratch that all genders are now explicitly stated, Snowball Fight, Soulmate-Identifying Timers, Team as Family, Trans!Dex (it's not directly said), tbh they're trans and nonbinary in all of my fics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-09
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-23 01:22:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9634439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Literally_No_One_Cares/pseuds/Literally_No_One_Cares
Summary: Nursey week prompts!Day 1-MistakeDay 2-Surprise/SimplicityDay 3-ChallengeDay 4-SensitiveDay 5-TomorrowDay 6-OpportunityDay 7-Red





	1. Mistake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nursey and Dex have different meanings for the word mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soulmate AU! It's what I'm best at tbh

His time is running out.

Ok, so that sounds really Extra, but it’s actually a good thing. Derek’s time is running out--the numbers on his wrist are ticking downward, meaning he's going to meet his soulmate soon.

In approximately 45 seconds.

He’s not freaking out. Really. None of the other people here can tell he's about to meet the love of his life. He's good at keeping it all in.

He just so happens to be standing in a group of high school seniors, all considering attending Samwell next year and playing hockey there.

There's this guy, who walks up next to him. He doesn't pay him much attention, he's got to keep his eyes open for his soulmate. _Three, two_ \--

“You sure you're in the right place? You don't really look like a hockey player,” the guy says blandly. Derek doesn't know how to take that. Is he saying it because Derek’s Black, or because he's dressed like he just walked out of poetry night in a dimly lit coffee house? Either one hurts, but one is significantly worse than the other.

“Bro. Check your timer,” Derek urges instead of acknowledging Mr. Whitest Boy Alive’s possible racist comment.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Pasty gasps. “This has to be some kind of mistake.”

Oh, ok. So White Boy has been significantly downgraded to White AssholeTM. “Wow. Aren't you just pumped to have a soulmate,” Derek snips.

“I didn't mean it like that, man,” White AssholeTM backpedals.

“I'm sure you didn't. Kindly fuck off and pretend this didn't happen,” Derek sighs, “and I won't mention it either.”

Before the royal douchebag can protest, there's a girl telling them to follow her, and the tour has started. Derek does his best to ignore the guy for the rest of the tour, and he doesn't make any effort to talk to Derek either.

He avoids the guy for the campus tour as well. This one is lead by two of the guys who are already on the team, a small southern man that makes Derek uncomfortable when he first hears his voice but then immediately comfortable again when he hands him a gift bag, and Shitty, a dude Derek went to school with.

Shitty makes sure to whisper to him that while the southerner--Bitty--is indeed a Georgia Peach, he’s by no means bigoted. (White AssholeTM makes a comment about expecting the Samwell Hockey team to be ‘less good at baking.’ Seriously fuck this guy.)

He doesn't so much as look at Apparently Racist and Homophobic Dickwad after that, and hopes that Bitty was the straw that broke the camel’s back for him so he won't show up at freshman orientation in the fall.

* * *

He shows up at freshman orientation in the fall. Well, actually, he shows up before that because the first optional skate is before orientation, and Derek and White AssholeTM both decide to go.

“Hey man, listen. I didn't mean that I--”

“I thought I told you I wasn't talking about this,” Derek hisses. “Look, asshat. You don't call your soulmate a mistake. But hey. You don't want to, like, date me or whatever the fuck? That's chill.”

“But that wasn't--”

Nursey isn't going to let the dickbag talk. “I don't care. Just forget it already, man.”

And that’s that. Months go by, the coaches pair him and White AssholeTM (his name is Dex, but to Derek he's always going to be White AssholeTM) together as defensemen, they fight like crazy, but neither of them bring up being soulmates. None of the team knows, because no one knows to ask.

For some reason, the goalie, Chowder, decides that Nursey and Dex are both his best friends, which is a problem. Derek likes Chowder, he does, but he can't get along with Dex to save his life.

It wouldn't be that big of a deal if Chowder could just hang out with them separately, but he insists on having the three of them study together in his room, or go to Annie’s together, or sit together at team gatherings.

And now he's got Bitty trying to play referee. Since they don't get along, someone has to, right?

Derek’s going insane.

Dex, Derek notices, doesn't drink much. In that respect, they're polar opposites, as Derek gets absolutely fucking trashed at any chance he gets.

So it's a bit of a surprise when they somehow get their roles reversed.

Derek has been nursing (ha) one beer all night, the nicer shit that he convinced Shitty to buy and hide in the back of the fridge. Dex is on tub juice number three, and while he's certainly holding it better than Derek would, he's more drunk than Derek has ever seen him before.

Apparently, drunk Dex wants to be around Nursey way more than sober Dex.

“ _Nursey_ ,” Dex slurs, throwing his arm around Derek’s shoulders, “fuck bro I've been looking _everywhere_ for you.”

“Did you need something?” Derek asks, slowly, because Dex doesn't seem to be at full Poindexter Processing Speed right now. Shut up, it makes sense in Derek’s head, alright?

“N’really. I just wanted to see you. Fuck. How did I end up with you as a soulmate?”

“Dex, we’re not talking about this, and especially not here,” Nursey warns.

Dex frowns, and leans his head against Derek’s. “Just because I'm not good at words. I didn't mean to ruin everything. I didn't think you were mine.”

Derek is confused. Dex had called him a _mistake_. Dex didn't want him, just like everyone else around him eventually came to realize. His parents were never there for him, his classmates at Andover were only ever party friends, and sooner or later the rest of the SMH were going to figure out that they didn't want him either.

“Too pretty. I thought, like, no? Not him? Not even close to your league, Poinde--Poindex-- _Poindexter_. Plus you’re fuckin’ annoying,” Dex babbles.

“Yeah right. Tell me that tomorrow morning when you're not schwasted.”

Dex lifts his head up and Looks Nursey in the eye. It appears to take a lot of effort. “’M not that drunk. Maybe a little. But not that much.”

“Still. I'm not believing a word you say until you say it sober.”

* * *

Derek thanks whatever celestial being that they don't have practice in the morning. He's not hungover, but last night’s kegster lasted a long time, so he's a little sleep deprived. He revels in his opportunity to sleep in, to just lay in bed with nowhere to go.

And then someone starts pounding on his door. “Nurse! Open up! Nursey!”

That sounds suspiciously like Dex, so he gets up, remembers to at least put on pants, and stumbles to the door. “What the fuck, Poindexter. Let a guy sleep in on the only day he gets to.”

“You told me to tell you what I told you last night again when I wasn't drunk. I'm mildly hung over but my headache’s almost gone and I'm Irish so my entire family would be super disappointed in me if three drinks did me in.”

“You have my attention,” Derek mumbles, dropping back down on his bed.

“Ok. So. I've kind of tried to say this before and you wouldn't listen? I didn't mean to say that I thought us being soulmates was a mistake. I just meant that there was no way that someone like you could possibly be stuck with, well, me.”

Derek looks up at Dex. He's standing awkwardly, with his hands crammed in his pockets. His face matches his hair, and he doesn't seem to be able to look at Nursey.

“But no matter what I say I always seem to say the wrong thing? Especially if I'm talking to you. It just. It doesn't come out the way I want it to.”

Derek doesn't want to believe him. Dex is just another person in his life that's going to walk out eventually.

“What the fuck Nurse, no I’m not.”

So Derek is apparently drowsy enough to say that last part out loud.

“Is that really what you think? That I'm just going to leave? Last time I checked, we’re soulmates. I'm stuck with your ridiculous ass no matter what.”

“But you like my ridiculous ass,” Derek quips. “You said it yourself. You think I'm miles out of your league.”

“I also said you're annoying,” Dex reminds him, but he's smiling. Dex is finally looking at him, and he doesn't seem so uncomfortable anymore. “As luck would have it, so am I.”

“Can I get that in writing?”

Dex laughs. “Shut the fuck up. I'm serious, though. Just because other people in your life haven't cared about you enough to stick around--which we are discussing later because what the fuck, Nurse--doesn't mean I'm going to do the same thing. If nobody else stays, I will.”

Derek props himself up on his elbows. Dex is so earnest. He always is, really, but this? This is Dex begging him to understand that they're meant for each other even if Derek wanted to push him away to try to save himself the heartbreak.

Apparently, there was no mistake after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOPEFULLY I'll get tomorrow's posted earlier. I've been trying to upload this all day and Ao3 has been fighting me every step of the way.


	2. Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek doesn't want a birthday party (yes he does).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually went for both prompts this time? So this is Suprise and Simplicity.

The group chat is quiet, which is Nursey’s first clue that something’s wrong. Bitty texted him early, a simple ‘happy birthday!!!!’ with a lot of emojis, but no one else on the team has said anything yet. He really hopes they aren't planning something, because he knows he specifically told them he doesn't want a huge party for his birthday.

Dex walks with him to practice like it's any other day. They live in the same building (and this year, they're roommates), so they've been walking together since the beginning of freshman year.

Usually, Chowder comes from the Haus to walk with them, but he doesn't today. Nursey asks Dex if Chowder’s sick or something, but he says that Chowder's just in a hurry to get some assignment done, and that he'll be at Faber by the time they get there. Other than that, they don't really talk.

Practice goes well, and no one acknowledges today's date. Maybe they forgot? But how do you forget Valentine's Day, much less your own bro’s birthday?

No one talks about plans. No one has a date tonight. No one says anything about the idea of an anti-Valentine kegester. No one is hyped to buy discount chocolate tomorrow, no one has a surprise planned for their SO. It's all too suspicious to Derek.

He almost forgets about it later, after going to his classes. It's not until he gets back to his and Dex’s dorm that he remembers everyone is acting weird.

“Nurse, C just texted me. He wants us to come study with him. He says he studies better with people in the room. Something about it making him feel like he has to at least look like he's actually doing something?”

Yeah. Nursey knows Chowder likes to have them over to study. It makes sense. But he should have texted both of them.

Nursey goes with it. “That's chill, I don't exactly have any plans, so.”

Dex doesn't acknowledge the cold undertone that Nursey just used. He just grabs his laptop, shoves it in his bag, and turns to the door.

The walk to the Haus is quiet, like their walk to practice this morning.

“Ok. What gives?” Derek finally asks.

Dex looks at him like he's crazy. “Is something wrong, Nurse?”

“Yes, something’s wrong! My own roommate didn't even say happy birthday to me at all today, the guys are all acting like Valentine's Day doesn't exist, and Chowder texted you instead using the group chat! I know I said I didn't want a party, but that doesn't mean I don't want people to acknowledge my birthday!”

“Whoa, Nurse, chill,” Dex snickers. “Let’s just get to the Haus, alright?”

Nursey huffs out a short breath. It's cold, cold enough to see his small tantrum in front of his face. He keeps walking, but he makes sure to do so a good four feet in front of Dex. They're not walking together. They just happen to be going to the same place.

When he opens the door to the Haus, nothing is out of order. Ransom and Holster are playing Smash Brothers (Brawl, no items, Fox only, Final Destination, for some reason. Melee is clearly better) and Bitty’s in the kitchen, talking to Jack on the phone while he bakes.

Derek trudges up the stairs to Chowder's room. The door is closed, and it looks like the lights might be off?

Dex catches up to him just as he opens the door. Dex pushed past Nursey to flip on the lights, and Chowder jumps up from behind his desk.

“Surprise!!!!!”

Chowder's room is covered in balloons (and confetti, after the party popper that he just set off). There’s a banner hanging from one corner to the other, and two wrapped presents sitting on Chowder’s desk, next to an entire pie. It looks like razzle berry, which is what Bitty calls a pie with multiple types of berries in it. Derek hadn't had it before he came to Samwell, but it's now his favorite.

“So, I know you don't want a huge party,” Chowder says, “but I figured a party that was just the three of us would be cool? I told Bitty and he said it sounded like a good idea. We got everybody in on it, so no one could ruin the surprise.”

Dex picks up a noise maker off the desk and blows it in Nursey’s face. “Your roommate didn't forget your birthday.”

Nursey could totally cry right now. He's not going to, because that would mess with his Chill Aesthetic, but he could.

“Yo, Nurse. Are you in there?” Dex asks, waving his hand and the noise maker in front of Derek’s face. “We just wanted to do something nice for your birthday, not break you. Hello? Nuuuuurse.”

He can't actually say anything. Like, at all. No words want to come out. So, he does the next best thing and hugs Dex.

“That's--a little--tight--can't--breathe--”

“Oh oh me too! Group hug! Don't forget me!!!!!” Chowder cheers, tackling the both of them. Dex takes several deep, gasping breaths when Chowder and Nursey release him. “So, do you want to open your presents or cut pie first?”

“Presents?”

Chowder ushers Nursey over to the bed and makes him sit, then grabs a party hat and pulls the strap over Nursey’s chin. He and Dex both grab one of the presents off the desk and hold them out for Derek to pick one.

He takes Chowder’s present first. It's in a bag, with a complicated ribbon holding it closed. He fiddles with it for a minute before Dex pulls out a pocket knife and cuts it for him. Inside, underneath a few layers of tissue paper, there's a phone charger, a pair of earbuds, and a paper gift certificate that says he can have one free drink at Annie's.

“You were complaining about how you ruin chargers and earbuds really quickly so I thought you'd like some with more durable cords,” Chowder explains. “It's a braided cord so it'll last longer.”

“Thanks C, I needed a new charger,” he says.

Dex waits for him to more Chowder’s gift to the side and plops the box down on Derek’s lap. It's very neatly wrapped, which Derek would expect of Dex, and easy to open. The paper comes off to reveal a plain white box, that holds a scarf and a matching pair of gloves--with string connecting them that can be removed by pulling a button out of a tiny loop in the yarn. They're dark green, and warm, and Derek loves them.

“You're always losing yours, so, I thought these might be better?” Dex says.

“Where'd you get them? Wow, there's not even a tag,” Nursey asks. He wraps the scarf around his neck.

“They're not, ah. I made them,” Dex mumbles.

“That's really sweet? Thank you? Oh my god? You literally made me a pair of gloves that are harder to lose. Dex, that's amazing. I love them, I really do.”

Actually, Derek just loves Dex. And Chowder. A lot. This is the best thing that anyone has ever done for his birthday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM PRAYING TO THE GODS OF AO3 THAT THIS POSTS BECAUSE IVE BEEN HAVING SUCH TROUBLES WITH POSTING THINGS


	3. Challenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nursey has been challenged to a fight to the death. A snowball fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I saw the word challenge and immediately thought 'snowball fight??? yes?????'

With snow on the ground, this sort of thing is bound to happen eventually.

Well, ok. With snow on the ground, a group of college students, and two of them constantly bickering, this sort of this happens.

It starts innocently enough. Bitty and Chowder are building a snowman together, because neither of them have actually done so before--unless you count the tiny ones Bitty made when they got enough snow in Georgia.

Nursey joins them outside after lots of coaxing by Ransom and Holster. He's not really a winter person. He didn't really enjoy snow as a kid, the few times he was in it and not stuck in the city. He’s been skiing before, sure. That was fun. After he stopped tripping all over himself. Hey. You try walking with skis stuck to your feet.

After Bitty and Chowder finish their snowman--which is dressed in one of Chowder’s many Sharks hats--Bitty goes in to make hot chocolate.

And that's when the chaos starts.

Dex grabs a handful of snow and shoves it down Nursey’s pants. Ransom and Holster are pelting all three frogs with snowballs. Lardo shows up out of nowhere and joins them in their attack.

Chowder ducks for cover behind his snowman, while Nursey and Dex hide behind Lardo’s car.

“Any ideas, Poindexter?” Nursey pants. “Other than exposing more of my body parts to snow.”

“We fight back,” Dex says like it's the most obvious thing in the world. It is not the most obvious thing in the world. Nursey was thinking they could run all the way back to the dorms. It must show on his face, because Dex frowns. “Come on, Nurse. Can't you take a little challenge? We have to beat them now.”

Nursey groaned. “Fiiiiiine. I'll help you take down Ransom and Holster. Wouldn't want your fragile pride to get hurt by a snowball.”

“Good enough.”

With that, Dex scoops up snow and dives out from behind the car. He has only a few seconds to think, and Nursey can't see what happens, but he can hear Holster yelling. Nursey decides to follow Dex’s example. He aims for Lardo and misses by a mile, but he at least manages to take cover before she can retaliate.

His next throw makes it.

“Bro. Bro. Respect? But you're fucking dead,” Lardo laughs, charging at Nursey with a snowball in hand. He runs, of course; she hits him anyway.

The next thing he knows, Dex is jumping in front of him. He's holding two snowballs, but only for a second, and then they're flying. Lardo flails dramatically, screaming “I’m hit!” and clutching her stomach, while the other snowball sails through the air and directly into Ransom’s face.

“That's cold, bro,” Ransom sighs. Holster high fives him for the excellent comedic timing (Nursey didn't think it was that funny, but whatever).

“We have you surrounded,” Holster says. “Any last words before I avenge the death of our beloved manager?”

“Yeah,” Dex snaps, “you forgot about Chowder.”

It all goes down so fast, Nursey barely has time to process it. Chowder has crept up behind the co-captains, carrying--whoa where did Chowder get that bucket? It's full of snow, and then it's not, because it went down the back of Holster’s shirt.

Dex and Nursey both lunge at the snow, forming snowballs as fast as they can, and turn to Ransom.

“Do you surrender?” Dex asks.

“--motherfucker, that's--AAAAAAH THATS FUCKING COLD--Chowder, please aaaAAAAAAH--”

“--I can see the light, Rans. Tell Shitty I love him--”

“Yeah,” Ransom huffs. “Come on Holtzy, let’s go get you warmed up.”

“I deserve, like, all of the oscars for that performance,” Lardo says, brushing snow off her coat. “I would like to thank Eric Bittle, for always supplying me with pie, and William Poindexter, for the amazing job in his supporting role--”

“Shit Lardo, sounds like your speech went long. They're playing the music already,” Nursey jokes. “Also C? That was amazing? Did you guys plan that?”

“Dex and I stayed up late last night making battle strategies! He said if he got behind Lardo’s car it was a signal to go find the bucket while everyone was preoccupied,” Chowder explains.

Nursey thinks he doesn't mind playing in the snow anymore. Even if he's got some melting in his pants.

Dex puts his hand on Nursey’s shoulder. “You did well, Nurse. Maybe next time we'll include you in our planning sessions.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bitty walks out on the porch with a tray holding several mugs of hot chocolate.
> 
> "Ok y'all, I hope you're ready for--good lord what _happened_ out here?"


	4. Sensitive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's too damn hot and Derek is sensitive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was what came to mind for sensitive lol

Derek’s back hits the bed. It's so hot, too hot, and he's desperate to get out of his clothes. The person crawling over him seems to realize this, and backs off to let him pull off his shirt.

“Jesus, C. ‘S so hot,” he whines, pawing at Chowder’s shirt to get it off as well.

“Thanks,” Chowder says, because he's an annoying little shit and knows exactly what Derek meant but enjoys acting oblivious. He takes his shirt off, throwing it...somewhere. Nursey’s not really paying attention.

The air conditioning in the Haus is broken. Dex is supposed to be fixing it, but so far there haven't been any changes. Derek is sweating like crazy, and really, they shouldn't be doing this when it's so hot. It won't help anything. Just the opposite, really. But Chowder had taken one look at a sweat soaked Derek Nurse, sitting on his bed, and pounced.

They’re supposed to be studying. Chowder needs help in his Lit class. Right now, the only thing Chris seems to be studying is Nursey.

Chowder’s hands settle around his waist. He leans down, drawing Nursey up into a slow kiss that says neither of them is going anywhere for a while. Derek pulls Chowder’s lower lip between his own and sucks.

That gets Chris even more excited. He nudges Derek’s legs open with one of his own and settles between them.

“Ok, so. I just got my braces off,” Chowder says.

Derek looks up at him questioningly. “And that has what to do with our current situation?”

“There's just something I wanted to do before that I couldn't. I mean, we don't have to if you don't want to right now but--”

“Hey. Chris. I am verbally consenting to having sex right now,” Derek interrupts, because if he doesn't, Chowder will go on and on about not wanting to pressure him into anything. This happens literally every time they do this.

“Um, ok, so. I just got my braces off. And I haven't been able to really, uh, get into giving a blow job? Like, I know I've sucked you off before but I had to be super careful and now I don't? So I was thinking--”

“Yes.”

“Ok. Cool. Shit.” The word only sounds slightly foreign from Chris’s mouth. He's heard Chowder swear before, but it still catches him a little off guard.

Chowder scoots back on the bed and reaches for the waistband of Derek’s sweatpants. Derek lifts his hips to let Chowder pull them all the way off, and his boxers go with them. It's a relief in multiple ways; it's slightly less hot, there are less things for sweat to stick to, and his cock isn't straining against the fabric anymore.

“Oh! Protection first!” Chris exclaims. He crawls over to the edge of the bed and digs through his nightstand door, then returns with a foil package. “Strawberry flavor.”

Derek laughs. What a dork. That's so adorable, and also dirty at the same time. Chowder takes his flavored condoms very seriously (“ _If they taste bad I'll gag, Nursey!_ ”). They've both been tested, but better safe than sorry. He tears it open and rolls it down onto Nursey’s dick.

Which? Holy shit? Chowder needs to hurry it up because he's apparently so sensitive that just putting on a condom is really fucking good. It might be that Chowder just has that effect on him, or it might be that it's been a while and he really needs to get off. Maybe both.

Chris wraps a hand around the base of Nursey's dick and lowers his head. Derek tenses; Chris gets his lips around his head and Derek's hips buck involuntarily.

“Sorry,” he mumbles.

Chowder pulls off. “No! That's ok! I don't really mind. Especially since I don't have to worry about my braces now!”

With that, he seals his lips around Derek's head again, then sinks down as far as he can. His lips meet his hand, which is damn impressive, and he hollows his cheeks. Derek can't help but buck up again, but he knows it doesn't bother Chowder so he doesn't worry about it.

Chris bobs his head a few times and Derek thinks _fuck this is it I'm gonna come I'm gonna_ \--

But Chris pulls off again. The sound Derek makes is ridiculous, and he knows Chowder laughs at him, but he doesn't care because _what the fuck C I was so close?_

Chowder noses at the skin around Derek's dick but doesn't touch him elsewhere. Nursey is about to protest, and then Chowder's face drops down just a little more and he’s mouthing at Derek’s balls.

“Fuck Chris that's good,” he groans, letting go of the stranglehold he didn't realize he had on the sheets and reaching to tangle his hands in Chowder’s hair instead. He can feel Chowder smile against his skin before going back for more. “ _Chris_.”

There are too many sensations now. Chowder is stroking his cock, not nearly fast or tight enough. His mouth is doing crazy things that Derek doesn't have the right words for right now because his brain is short circuiting. It's still a million fucking degrees. The sweat down Nursey’s back is sticking to Chowder’s sheets.

“Chris, Chris _please_ ,” Derek moans. He doesn't know what he's asking for. He just needs something. Whatever it is Chowder can give him.

Chowder finally puts his mouth back on Derek’s cock, pulls his hand away and uses it to hold down Derek’s hip instead. He bobs his head, going further down each time, until--

Fuck. He's all the way down. He swallows around Nursey a few times, and that's it, for real this time.

It's so, so hot. Derek’s skin feels like it's burning. His vision goes blank, and the heat around him swallows him whole in a rushing wave.

It takes him a moment to register Chris taking off and tying the condom, throwing it toward the trash, and crawling to curl into Derek’s side.

“God, Chris. You're amazing. I have to--you didn't get off, let me--”

Derek pushes his hand into Chowder’s pants and wraps it around his dick. Chowder comes quickly, and makes no effort to take off his now soiled clothes.

The lights flicker, there's a loud click, and a yell from somewhere in the basement.

The air has finally come on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tomorrow's might come a little late...but I promise to try my best.


	5. Tomorrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nursey is putting things off a lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is short but I, like Nursey, am physically and emotionally exhausted.

“Hey Nursey! Could you please proofread a paper for me? I've read it over like four times but I want to make sure I'm not missing anything?”

Nursey looks up at Chowder. He's sitting on the (gross green) couch, it's only two in the afternoon, but he doesn't seem to have it in him to read right now. He doesn't have it in him to do anything, really.

“Can I do it tomorrow, C? I'm kind of tired and I'd probably miss something too,” Nursey asks.

“Oh! If you're not feeling good I can ask Ransom! I'll let you rest. I hope you feel better soon! Maybe you should take a nap? You can take one in my room if you want, I don't mind. Bitty doesn't really like for people to sleep on the couch. He usually lets me, but I'm his favorite he so lets me do a lot of things. Not that he doesn't love you and Dex too! He does!”

Derek blinks a few times. “I think I heard like half of what you just said,” he tells Chowder.

“I'll stop bothering you now! Sorry!” Chowder yelps, then runs up the stairs calling out for Ransom. Derek hates making him go away like that, but he feels like shit, and he can't handle Chowder’s enthusiasm right now. Hell, he probably couldn't even handle Bitty-levels of enthusiasm (there's a scale, which ranges from Jack to Chowder).

Chowder has the right idea about taking a nap, though.

* * *

When Nursey gets out of class, Dex is waiting for him. “Hey Nurse. You free to go to Annie’s?”

What can he say to get out of this? “Maybe to tomorrow. Right now I just need to sleep, I think,” Derek excuses. “I've got too much stuff in my head and it all needs to settle.”

Dex frowns, but then he’s usually frowning or scowling anyway. “Ok. Go get some beauty sleep. You must need a lot.”

He has no comeback. “Whatever man.”

Dex’s eyes narrow, and his brow sinks lower. “Are you ok, Nurse? Are you sure you're just tired?”

Ugh, that feels pathetic. He's got Dex worrying about him now. Dex worries enough as is, he doesn't need to worry about Nursey too. “Yeah, it’s chill. Just need a nap.”

“Alright, go hit the hay Nurse.”

* * *

Nursey has been putting things off a lot, apparently. He only knows this because Dex and Chowder are holding an intervention. They had lured him into studying at the Haus, and now they have him locked in Chowder's room against his will.

“Look, Nursey. You've been sleeping a lot, and every time someone asks you to do something you say you'll do it tomorrow. We're scared for you,” Chowder explains softly.

He's right, Derek knows he's right, but he doesn't know what to do about it. It's a depressive episode, it'll go away eventually. It always does. But this one must be worse, if people have noticed. “It happens every once in a while and then I get over it. It's chill.”

Dex snorts. “It most certainly is _not_ chill. You should tell somebody when you feel like this. We're your teammates, we're here to help. You don't have to go to Ransom and Holster with it, or even Bitty; me and Chowder can help too.”

“I'll try to remember that next time. Can I go now?”

“No!” Chowder says, almost coming out of his desk chair. “Before you go! I just wanted to say you're my best friend and I love you and it's ok to feel bad, and it's ok to let people know you feel bad. Your feelings are valid and I won't let you think any different! Ok you're allowed to leave now, if you want.”

Nursey thinks about it. “I guess it'd be ok if I hung out here for a while.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe after I sleep I won't feel like writing stuff about depression


	6. Opportunity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nursey Bittle's everything up, but he's willing to talk things through, given the opportunity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry I missed posting this yesterday! I'm working as hard as I can to get today's done as well. Apparently, depression kicking my ass+planning a big event at work=me not being able to write. Which sucks. But! Tomorrow said big event will be over with, and I'll get a chance to rest.

Derek Nurse represses his emotions.

Fire is hot. The sky is blue. Water is wet.

Yes, he knows it's unhealthy. Yes, he knows that literally everyone knows. _Yes_ , he knows the team doesn't buy it for a second. Everybody has coping mechanisms, ok? So what if his is bottling everything up and then writing shitty poetry? It works well enough.

Until it doesn't. It started because he didn't have a way to deal, because there was no one he could talk to.

Apparently, given the opportunity, he's perfectly capable of spilling his guts to anyone that'll listen. Maybe not anyone--it has to be the right person. Someone that'll laugh about his ridiculous bullshit but also not tell anyone else and comfort him when he needs it.

That person? Dex, for some fucking reason.

The first time, he's _so_ drunk. Ransom and Holster make Dex walk him home, which somehow means he ends up in Dex’s dorm instead of his own. Dex has a single, so there's no roommate to worry about bothering. Nursey sleeps on the floor, even though Dex offered the bed to him.

“If I say something stupid do you promise not to laugh?” Derek asks. He's not even sure Dex is still awake.

“No,” Dex replies flatly, “But I won't tell anyone, if that makes you feel better.”

“Sometimes I wish I was more like you,” he breathes out. Dex laughs. “Really. You just, you actually know how to display emotions? Even if the emotion you display is usually just being fucking angry.”

“Sometimes I wish I was more like you, so I wouldn't be so damn mad all the time.”

Nursey sits up. His head swims, because he moved to fast, so it takes him a minute to regain his bearings. “I do get mad though? It just never comes out. So it's all stuck up inside me and I have nowhere to put it. Writing shit down can only help so much. And it's not even a thing I do on purpose. It was, at first, but I don't really want to anymore.”

“You're talking shit out right now. Does that count as letting it out?”

“I guess,” Derek mumbles. “But ‘m fucking hammered, my dude. I get, like, soppier when I'm drunk. I think.”

“Go to sleep, Nurse. Your existential shit is making me feel gross.”

And he does. He goes to sleep on Dex’s floor, and they don't talk about it in the morning. And then it becomes a habit--go to kegster, get sloshed, be weirdly emotional in Dex’s dorm. Wash rinse repeat. By the end of the year, it seems like they're actually friends, because you can't have an ongoing existential crisis in someone’s room and not be their friend.

Next year, Dex doesn't request a single. N and P are pretty close in the alphabet, and the students are assigned dorms by last name. It shouldn't surprise Derek that they become roommates.

That just gives him more opportunities to spill his guts. He tells Dex about the first time he had to sleep in an empty apartment, younger than he should have been, and how terrified he was. He tells Dex about being afraid to walk down the street, being afraid to play hockey, being afraid that his parents wouldn't come back every time they walk out the door. No amount of money can change the color of his mom’s skin, or that his mama wears a hijab.

Dex tells Nursey things too. Dex was afraid of playing hockey when he was younger, for vastly different reasons. He talks about his dad's crying when he told them about wanting to change his name to William. Nursey, in turn, talks about secretly wearing his mom’s makeup when no one else was home.

And something shifts, just a little. They've gone from hating each other, to tentative friends, to roommates, to best friends, and it feels like it sneaked up on Derek. He tells Dex that too.

Dex tells him he's being over dramatic and to go the fuck to bed.

“ _Your bed, Nurse, not mine!_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops look at that I'm projecting my depression on Nursey again can you believe,,,,that I would do that? Side note, Dex, my beautiful trans son, requested a single freshman year because he was afraid of having a cis roommate. But Derek Nurse, my nonbinary son-in-law, makes a wonderful roommate


	7. Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek Nurse wears makeup.
> 
> (And finds an amazing and very gay hockey family.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DID IT! I FINISHED THIS ON TIME!

Derek stares at his reflection. It looks good. This is a thing that looks good on him.

He puts the cap on his mom’s lipstick and goes to put it back where he got it from, but he hesitates. Surely she won't miss one little tube of lipstick? She has several, and even some that are similar colors to the red one he’s thinking of taking. She probably won't even notice it's gone, and if she does, she’ll have no way of knowing that Derek took it and it didn't just roll off the counter into trash can or something.

With that same mentality, he takes a little twisty-thing of eyeliner and a mascara as well.

And he's right, she never says anything, and the next time he happens to be in his parents’ bathroom, all three things have been replaced.

He watches videos. There are lots of people online who wear makeup. He even finds one YouTube channel that's run by a Black teenager, who uses traditionally masculine pronouns while wearing pastel pink wigs and the best makeup Derek’s ever seen. The boy is funny, and pretty, and Derek feels like he's stumbled onto the answer he's been looking for.

He spends time looking things up and settles on the word nonbinary. It sounds cool, and it fits what he feels.

At school, he keeps his three stolen pieces of makeup under his bed and doesn't let anyone see him wearing them until this senior, Shitty, shows up to lunch one day wearing false eyelashes and maroon lipstick. He feels like he can tell Shitty, like he can be himself with Shitty.

It just so happens that they end up at the same college too.

The hockey team at Samwell is certainly different. There's a starting forward who bakes pies and sings Beyoncé, Shitty Knight (who requires no explanation), teo defensmen who are basically soulmates, and a kick ass artist manager who’s the coolest person Derek has ever met. They're all so unique, and accepting, and he feels safe with them.

Safe enough to wear skirts, safe enough to buy and wear makeup of his own.

So, the SMH consists of:

Derek Nurse, nonbinary babe and English major,  
B. Shitty Knight, genderfluid party animal future lawyer,  
Lardo Duan, who has no gender only rage,  
William J. Poindexter, trans man and Pain In The AssTM  
Eric R. Bittle, a cis white gay who's not a Cis White Gay, ya feel,  
Jack Zimmermann, bisexual demiboy and Hockey God,  
Adam Birkholtz, the Most Bi  
Justin Oluransi, the second Most Bi  
Chris Chow, polyamorous precious child and fucking terrifying goalie.

Derek loves them all. Bitty and Jack are like parents to him, Shitty is the weird uncle and Lardo is the cool gay aunt, Ransom and Holster are like older brothers, and Chowder and Dex are the best boyfriends a dude could ask for. Not to mention their amazing girlfriend Farmer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (The YouTuber Nursey's watching is Miles Jai, who's amazing)
> 
> Well y'all, Nursey Week has come to an end. Happy Valentine's Day, and I hope we get to do this again next year!
> 
> Do you guys have any Valentine's Day plans? I'm working tonight but tomorrow I'm going to a masquerade themed Valentine's Day party


End file.
